DBT Skills Groups for Veterans at High Risk for Suicide Attempt (NCT05000749) | Clinical Trial Compass
Active — Not RecruitingNot Applicable
DBT Skills Groups for Veterans at High Risk for Suicide Attempt
United States156 participantsStarted 2023-04-30
Plain-language summary
Veteran suicide death is a national crisis. Risk factors include emotion dysregulation, which occurs across mental health disorders. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based suicide intervention that targets emotion dysregulation but is resource-intensive and not widely available at VHA. A more efficient evidence-based DBT Skills Group (DBT-SG) is associated with reduced suicidal ideation and emotion dysregulation and likely more feasible to implement at VHA. This is a randomized controlled trial to test whether DBT-SG in addition to VHA treatment-as-usual, compared to only VHA treatment-as-usual, reduces Veteran emotion dysregulation.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Veteran eligible for VHA care at participating site
* two or more suicide attempts in lifetime, with one in past 12 months, on Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
* current suicidal ideation (endorsing a suicidal ideation scale of at least 1 \[passive ideation\] on C-SSRS
* emotion dysregulation (score 95 or greater on DERS)
* can attend group sessions
* willing to provide contact information for at least one person who can help locate the participant if study staff are unable to contact them (information for three contact persons will be requested; a participant must provide at least one contact person's information to be included in the study)
* access to telephone; if insufficient access to videoteleconference and local facility is using remote procedures for study, willing to request access to VA-provided device
Exclusion Criteria:
* significant cognitive impairment (score \< 28 on modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (mTICS)
* inability to read English or communicate in spoken and written English
* plan to move away or be unavailable in the next 18 months
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.